Lightweight, High Performance, Remote Reconfigurable Communications Terminal Architecture

1. A lightweight reconfigurable communications architecture (RCA) radio system, comprising: at least one processor for executing processes running on the system; an operating system for managing said processes running on the system; an Object Request Broker (ORB) process configured for enabling communication of messages between two processes; an Application Launcher process configured for at least one of requesting and accepting RCA compliant applications via the ORB process; and a subset of a RCA core framework configured to provide functionality that allows the compliant applications to operate.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the ORB process is a full implementation of a CORBA ORB.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the ORB process is configured to provide a minimum functionality required for the processes and compliant applications.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the ORB process is configured as a Multiple Independent Level of Security (MILS) CORBA ORB.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the ORB process is configured as a Lightweight ORB.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the operating system is one of a portable operating system interface (POSIX), minimal POSIX, or an Application Environment Profile (AEP) compliant kernel.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the operating system is a Multiple Independent Level of Security (MILS) Partitioning Kernel.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein architecture of the system complies with Software Communications Architecture (SCA) specifications.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein architecture of the system complies with Object Management Group (OMG) SWRadio specifications.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the subset of the RCA core framework supports functionality for at least one of an Application Factory, a Resource Factory, an Application, Resources, a Device, a Property Set, a Port, a Port Supplier, and a Testable Object.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the subset of the RCA core framework further supports functionality for a Loadable Device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the subset of the RCA core framework further supports functionality for an Executable Device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the subset of the RCA core framework further supports functionality for an Aggregate Device.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising a Device Manager process for managing devices supported by the subset of the RCA core framework.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the Application Launcher process is further configured to accept, store, and start at least one RCA compliant waveform.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the Application Launcher process is further configured to respond to requests from a host.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the Application Launcher process is further configured to request at least one waveform from a host.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein on boot, the Application Launcher process is further configured to start a last known waveform.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the ORB process is at least partially implemented using at least one of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), and a General Purpose Processing Unit (GPPU).

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the Application Launcher process is at least partially implemented using at least one of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), and a General Purpose Processing Unit (GPPU).

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the subset of the RCA core framework is at least partially implemented using at least one of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), and a General Purpose Processing Unit (GPPU).

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is implemented on a plug and play module adapted for coupling to a host via a plug and play bus.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the plug and play module is one of a PCMCIA card or a USB module.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is implemented in a cellular phone.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is implemented in one or more Black radio cores.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the system further includes a Red radio core in communication with the one or more Black radio cores through a security device.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the Red radio core includes a full RCA core framework capable of supporting the one or more Black radio cores.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the Red radio core is adapted to communicate with a host via a plug and play bus.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the system further includes a host in communication with the one or more Black radio cores through a security device.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the host includes a full RCA core framework capable of supporting the one or more Black radio cores.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is implemented in one or more Red radio cores.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is a slave to a remote or external host configured with a full RCA core framework capable of supporting the system.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the remote or external host is capable of building and sending applications to the Application Launcher process.

34. A lightweight reconfigurable communications architecture (RCA) radio system, comprising: at least one processor for executing processes running on the system; a Multiple Independent Level of Security (MILS) CORBA Object Request Broker (ORB) process configured for enabling inter-process communication within the system; an Application Launcher process configured for at least one of requesting and accepting RCA compliant applications via the MILS CORBA ORB process; a MILS Partitioning Kernel configured to allow high security applications to operate in the system; and a subset of a RCA core framework configured to provide functionality that allows the compliant applications to operate.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the system is a slave to a remote or external host configured with a full RCA core framework capable of supporting the system, and capable of building and sending applications and supporting information to the Application Launcher process.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the system is implemented in one or more Black radio cores and further includes a security device that decrypts data received from the one or more Black radio cores.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the system further includes a host in communication with the one or more Black radio cores through the security device.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the host includes a full RCA core framework capable of supporting the one or more Black radio cores.

39. The system of claim 34 wherein the system is implemented in one or more Red radio cores.

40. The system of claim 34 wherein the MILS Partitioning Kernel is further configured for managing processes running on the system.

41. A lightweight reconfigurable communications architecture (RCA) radio system, comprising: at least one processor for executing processes running on the system; an Object Request Broker (ORB) process configured for enabling inter-process communication within the system; an Application Launcher process configured for at least one of requesting, accepting, and starting RCA compliant applications via the ORB process; and a subset of a RCA core framework configured to provide functionality that allows the compliant applications to operate.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the system is implemented on a plug and play module adapted for coupling to a host via a plug and play bus.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the system is implemented in a cellular phone.

44. The system of claim 41 wherein the system is implemented in one or more Black radio cores and further includes a security device that encrypts data leaving the one or more Black radio cores.

45. The system of claim 41 wherein the system is a slave to a remote or external host configured with a full RCA core framework capable of supporting the system, and capable of building and sending applications and supporting information to the Application Launcher process.

46. A communications system, comprising: a hardware device implementing an Object Request Broker (ORB) process, said ORB process being configured to enable communication of an ORB message between two application processes; and a processor that is responsive to the ORB message for executing an application that comprises at least one of the two application processes.

47. The system of claim 46 , wherein the ORB process implemented on the hardware device is a full implementation of a CORBA ORB.

48. The system of claim 46 , wherein the ORB process implemented on the hardware device is configured to provide a minimum functionality required for executing the application.

49. The system of claim 46 , wherein the ORB process implemented on the hardware device is configured as a Multiple Independent Level of Security (MILS) CORBA ORB.

50. The system of claim 46 , wherein the ORB process implemented on the hardware device is at least partially implemented on at least one Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).

51. The system of claim 46 , wherein the hardware device comprises at least one Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).

52. The system of claim 46 , wherein the hardware device is at least partially implemented using at least one of an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), or a General Purpose Processing Unit (GPPU).

53. The system of claim 46 , further comprising: an application launcher process configured for at least one of requesting, accepting, receiving, and starting the application via the ORB process implemented on the hardware device.

54. The system of claim 46 , wherein the application is a standard compliant application within a standard framework.

55. The system of claim 54 , wherein the standard framework is configured as a subset of a reconfigurable communications architecture (RCA) core framework.

56. The system of claim 46 , wherein said ORB process implemented on the hardware device comprises marshalling functionality.

57. The system of claim 55 , wherein said ORB process implemented on the hardware device used as part of at least one of a Software Defined Radio (SDR).

58. A communications system, comprising: a processor that is responsive to messages communicated via one or more Object Request Broker (ORB) processes for executing an application; said one or more ORB processes comprising a marshalling functionality; and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) that performs the marshalling functionality.